3 Non-Parade Mardi Gras Traditions To Start With Your Kids This Year

3 Non-Parade Mardi Gras Traditions To Start With Your Kids This Year

Unless you live under a very large rock, you know that south Louisiana is right in the thick of Mardi Gras madness. As the mother of two small kids, Mardi Gras used to mean something totally different to me than it does now. While I still participate in a krewe and attend the ball, I’m sometimes just not feeling the parade thing. We do enjoy a few yearly favorites, but we’re not the family that goes to every one.

When my oldest was 3, I decided to start a tradition of making mini king cakes with her. I’ll be honest and tell you that it was pretty much a flop. Let’s face it, not all of our Pinterest dreams can always come true. With a few tweaks though, I think I finally got it right.

Here are three of our kid-friendly Mardi Gras traditions you might want to try if you’re not a fan of parades, or just to add some family fun to the season.

Make your own Mardi Gras Masks

Use any craft supplies you have on hand to create beautiful, unique Mardi Gras masks. Use them to have your own parade!

This can be as simple or as over the top as you’d like. But let’s be real, glitter is the bane of every mom’s existence. Your kid might not even know what glitter is! We listen and we don’t judge. The simplest method of doing this is to find a black and white mask outline online and print it on cardstock. If you want to work on scissor skills (and this first grade teacher begs you to try), let them cut it out. If not, have them pre-cut and just let your little one help with the decorating part. You can simply have them color the masks in traditional green, gold and purple, or you can be extra. Craft stores sell things like feathers, sequins, tissue paper and jewels. I like to put out several options, but keep each type of material separated. We use Elmer’s liquid glue because, if we’re being honest, glue sticks are garbage (another first grade teacher word of wisdom). If your child is too young to handle liquid glue, another tip is to distribute it for them and allow them to spread it with a paintbrush before adding their items. To make them wearable, you can staple or tape a piece of string or elastic on each side of the mask.

Bake Mini King Cakes

The hardest part…waiting to taste!

This is a fan favorite at our house. You’ll need 1-2 packs of cinnamon rolls. Separate each one, then unroll them so you’re left with strips of dough. Braid three strips together, then form a circle to make your king cake. Pinch the ends together really well, so you don’t end up with horse shoes like we did our first year. I told you it was a flop at first. Bake them according to package directions and separate icing into three small bowls while you wait. Have I mentioned that I think sprinkles are the glitter of the food world yet? If not, they are. This is why we use food coloring. We make purple, yellow and green and when the king cakes are still warm, we let the kids drizzle the icing on with a fork. If you aren’t anti-sprinkle, however, feel free to load those babies up!

Mardi Gras Slime

3 Non-Parade Mardi Gras Traditions To Start With Your Kids This Year

The last one is a craft, too, but I also think it doubles as an activity. You might think, “Wow, you’re anti-glitter but not anti-slime?” That is correct. We only play with slime at the kitchen counter on crawfish trays, and have somehow avoided all slime-related accidents thus far. Our slime recipe is simple, and can be tailored to any holiday. The kids love helping me add ingredients, but I do handle the mixing part, as that can be disastrous if you’re not careful. In a 3 bowl each, mix ¾ cup Elmer’s glue and 3 teaspoons of baking soda well. Add your Mardi Gras food coloring to each bowl till the desired color is reached. Stirring in 1 tablespoon of contact solution at a time, mix till the slime pulls away from the bowl and isn’t super sticky. You can add in a half cup of shaving cream to each one if you’d prefer a fluffier texture. My kids love playing with their slime using measuring cups and spoons, little bowls, buttons and other small toys. It truly keeps my 8 and 5 year olds busy for up to an hour, and we all know how sacred that time is!

A Little Lagniappe – Shoe Box Mardi Gras Floats 

Whether you are making this at home for fun or doing it for a school project, shoe box Mardi Gras floats are a popular art project during the Mardi Gras Season. If you are unsure of how to start, we’ve got a complete guide for how to build a shoe box float here. Pick a theme and start gathering those decorations and glue! If you want to tackle this project on a larger scale, try a wagon Mardi Gras float!

Hopefully these activities keep you and your littles busy this Mardi Gras season, with memories and traditions for years to come!

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